Improved washing-machine



N. W. CALHOUN, OF UPPER TRACT, WEST VIRGINIA.

Letters Patent No. 99,842, dated February l5, 1870.

IMPROVLED WASHING-MACHINE.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of thesame.

To all whom it may 'concern tub, of which (l (l are the ends, and e thebottom.

ln it is placed the wash-board a. a a?. This board is so curved as toconstitute a segment of a circle, of which the center is at o in theframe above. This board is divided into three sections by the hingedjoints at t t. Of these sections, the. middle one, al, is secured firmlyin its place by being framed or otherwise fastened to the sides of thetub.

rlhe end sections rest freely against the ends of thc tub, andare leftfree'to more upon their hinges, as the naohine is opera-ted.

'lhe wash-board maybe made of tinted stuti, or of' rollt rs suitablyframed, or of both combined.

On each side of the oblougbm or tub, equidistant from the ends, arefastened upright posts or strips l.

Holes in the upper ends ot' these pieces are made to receive the endsofthe cross-piece p. These ends are round, so as to revolve'iieely inthe holes'at o.

Through the `cross-} iece other holes are made to receive the ends ol'the perpendicular pieces h, to which are suspended the rubber f. Thisrubber is a box, of which g g are the ends, and b'the bottom. The latteris convex, to correspond with the concavity oi' the nnshdioanl, and maybe made as is the wash-board, either ci' tinted stnli' or of rollers,suitably framed together.

Swinging upon the center of motion at o, the rubber is carried backwardand forward over the curved surface` ofthe wash-board bythe powerapplied to the lever t' i. The fulcrum ot' this lever is a screw, v, inthe frame-piece of the rubber, whilst its end is held bythe screw :t inthe oscillating rod o1 bar, which swings ou its center.

To the ends ofthe uprights h, above the cross-piece p coiled' springs mare attached, by means of which the leverage bearing upon the clothes isdiminished with the more facility by the operator, and when the hand isremoved from the lever at j, the rubber is lifted from the clothes.

To the ends of the hinged sections ofthe washboard chains q r areatt-ached, which hook to the upper edge ofthe ends of the rubber box.

When the machine is to be operated, one chain is detached, and therubber is lifted out of its bed by the spiral springs. The waterand soaparel put in the tub, and the clothes distributed upon the Wash-board.The rubber is then brought down by pressure on the lever, and the chainfastened to'it-s place. A reci procating motion backward and forward isthen given to the rubber by the hand applied to the handle j ofthelever. This movement is attended by a downward pressure ot' 4the lever,which is more orrless powerful as the clothes may require severe orgentle treatment.

As the rubber is pushed from the operatortoward the. farther extremityof thetub, the chain Jr lifts the ibrward section a ot' the wash-board,which, turning on its hinges, tilts the clothes over, and throws themunder the retreating end ot the rubber. When the movei'nent is reversed,the section fr is thrown back to its place, the clothes are carriedforward between it and the rubber, and, at the saine time, the sectiona* is lifted by its chain q, and the. clothes which were upon it tiltedover and thrown under that cud of the rubber. .ihe operation is repeateduntil tile clothes are cleansed, when the chain 1' is detached, therubber rise-s, and the clothes are removed.

What I claim as my invention', aud desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

The combination with the. box C of the hinged wash-boards a a2 andcentral boards a, chains q e', rubber `box b f, bars h, sock-shaft p,springs my, and standards Z, the rubber being operated by means of thelevers t', all constructed substantially as specified.

N. W. CALHOUN.

Vitnesses: Y

SAMUEL J: BAIRD, Jso. K. WooDs.

